The Keepsake Creature Competition

It's competition time again! I never win competitions. Fair enough I don't enter them anymore, but even as a child I didn't win anything. You, on the other hand, can win your very own Keepsake Creature!

I will make a creature of your choice from your child's (or your own) old clothing, and embroider a name of your choosing on the back. All you have to do is like, comment on or share my Jenny Sews page to be in with a chance of winning. You can either search for Jenny Sews on Facebook or click here.

The competition will close on Saturday the 12th of May and the winner will be randomly selected from all those that enter.

Happy competing everyone!

Three Weeks In

So it's been three weeks now since I've become self employed and I am loving it. It's hard work, but it's so much fun and the feedback has been amazing. Last Saturday I did the Brymbo Community Market and had a brilliant day, the stallholders there are all so wonderful, as are the customers!

Sunday was a fair in Chester, which was not so succesful but I met a lot of lovely people again. When I decided to work from home, I was worried it could end up being a bit lonely, but it's been quite the opposite! I've met so many talented and like minded people already, it's such a exciting community to be involved with.

Anyhoo, fawning over with, here's to this weeks projects! I sold 34 creatues over the weekend (yay!) so I'm stocking up ready for the Garden Village Farmers Market on May the 5th. Unfortunately I have been attacked by a beast of a cold, so bad in fact, it can only be called Man Flu. It knocked me out for a day or two but I'm back on track and have so far finished these guys:

Chillaxing before a race.

Kapow!

I have lots more stuffed and waiting to be limbed, so that's what I'll be spending my weekend doing.

 I was also contacted by a lovely lady called Leanne about turning some of her children's baby grows into bunnies. Of course I said "HELLS YEAH" and immediately went and raided Ruby's old clothes.

Before:

After:

As you can see Ruby loves it!

She's called it Ruby.

What a week!

Well it's been a week since I've become self employed and it's been hectic. I have discovered a few things:

1. Only one person mans the tax office telephones. (That's why I can't get through to anyone, right?)
2. I will have to extend my overdraft to pay for the unanswered but option filled phone calls to the tax office.
3. The people at the Job centre rock. They really want me to work.
4. The folks at Trading Standards also rock. There were some button eye issues, but after breaking into a sweat trying to pull one off, I'm pretty confident they're safe. I'm going to try a few creatures with embroidered eyes though.
5. The Tax Office sucks.

I managed to squeeze 29 hours worth of Jenny Sews related work in this week, which with a 4 year old off for the holidays was pretty tough. Not much relaxing this week for me! Thankfully my mum and sister took pity on me and took my wild animal beautiful daughter for the afternoon on Thursday and Friday.I'm not even going to pretend I'm not looking forward to school on Tuesday.

We did have a productive day today though, as she helped me build the new shelves for my stall.

She does not like the sound of the drill.




I have a nifty flowery hammer which unscrews to reveal all manner of different sized screwdrivers. I actually wanted to use that one myself but I was left with the regular ol' wooden one.



Once they were up I was very pleased.




As was Ruby. They also fit the kits on really well, but I think I'm going to rethink the packaging. Those cardboard tabs are already getting a bit tatty.




Next weekend is a big one craft wise, two fairs! Saturday 21st April I'll be at the Brymbo Enterprise Centre for the monthly Brymbo Community Market, I had a great time there last month and it seems the stallholder numbers have swelled dramatically, which is exciting.

Sunday 22nd April I'll be in the Guildhall, Chester for the How Bizarre Craft and Gift Fair, first time I've had a stall with this company, but I'm hoping it will be good. For further info, have a look on my website under "Fairs".


Now to spend the week sewing like a mad woman!



Ruby picked out her own outfit today by the way.

It is Time.

It's official! As of last Friday, I am self employed.





"What do you do for a living Jenny?"

"Me? Oh, I make Sock Creatures. Yeah I do."




As exciting as it is, I'm not exactly starting with a bang. I've got lots and lots of animals to sew, and my website isn't nearly ready. I have five craft fairs booked, but that only takes me to June. My marketing goodies have arrived though, t-shirts, business cards and swish magnets to go on the side of my car. I even cleaned my car especially so I could put them on, but I'm a bit reluctant when they direct you to a website where there's nothing for sale...




I was hoping to have it ready for launch by last Friday, but it's way more complicated than I though. I'm not the biggest technology fan. Sitting in front of the computer for hours is not my idea of fun, but I need to man up and GET IT DONE. Next week. For now though, I'm going to keep sewing (I've nearly finished a very nifty cat) and get those fairs booked and then next week, (when the four year old is back in school) I am going to kick the website's buttski. Hells yeah.

Yummy Bunny

It's nearly easter and in honour of that chocolate filled holiday, I've made some Sock Easter Bunnies! In some of my prettiest socks too. And they come with a cream egg. Winner.








The website is ready to have items uploaded, and I'm pretty darn proud of myself! I did it all on my own by jove. I'm off camping for the first time this year at the weekend, but when I get back I'll be photographing like mad ready for the website launch on Easter Monday. Exciting stuff! My business cards and banners etc should have arrived by then, it's really coming together now. Sock Creatures, unite!

Oh, there you are...

This blog has been terribly neglected. I'm feeling bad, so I'm writing an official apology to it. I hope it helps.


Dear Blog,

I'm sorry it's been so long. You are such a useful tool to those of us starting out in this crazy, crazy world of crafty self employment. I understand and appreciate the role you have in promoting a small, home based business such as mine. Alas, my guilt has now come to a head and I must releive myself of the burden of my deciet.

I have been cheating on you.

It's name is Facebook. I have created a Jenny Sews page that is so like you, yet so accesible, so easy to update. I don't feel I owe it pictures, or more than one paragraph. It is kind to my lazy self.

I know this doesn't help, and to tell you the truth, this affair will continue. But know this Blog: from the first of April I will be officially self employed. I will, to the world, not only be a mother, but a Sock Creature Creator. And I want you by my side.

I know I have been bad to you but I hope you can forgive me. Here is a baby pig, just for you.



Love

Jenny

Welcome!

Hello and welcome to Jenny Sews! I'm Jenny and over the next few months I'm hoping to become self employed using my sewing skills. I'm going to be making covers for everything (and I mean everything, I once made a cover for a folding canoe. True story), as well as sock creatures and sock creature kits.

I just finished the first Sock Monkey kit and it's about to be sent out to the testers, even though I've already found a flaw in the instructions! I reckon it's easier to fix everything at the same time though.



I'll also being doing repairs and alterations, but so far I've only had enquiries about my sewing nemesis: curtains. I really don't like sewing curtains. I always feel like they're trying to suffocate me with their sheer volume.